


Written on the Skin

by emungere, louise_lux



Category: Saiyuki
Genre: M/M, Vines
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2006-12-03
Updated: 2006-12-03
Packaged: 2018-02-27 22:59:11
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,417
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2709803
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/emungere/pseuds/emungere, https://archiveofourown.org/users/louise_lux/pseuds/louise_lux
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Gojyo gets Hakkai's vines tattooed on him. Hakkai notices.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Written on the Skin

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks so much to Chrissy for the beta!

Gojyo glared at the rock that had just tripped him up. Now it was safely off by the side of the road, but obviously it had moved. He didn't just trip over his own feet, even after...however many beers he'd had. It hadn't been that many. Okay, so things looked sort of swimmy, and the ground was moving a little too much. Earthquake, he thought. Obviously. Really small earthquake. 

His house was close, at least. Dark and probably cold, but close. It would smell bad too. Hakkai'd warned him before he left to take the trash out, but he'd gotten the wrong morning. Dark, cold, bad-smelling, empty, and littered with his dirty socks. But Hakkai would be back tomorrow. He smiled to himself and covered the last few feet in a sort of continuous, controlled fall.

The door caught him, and he struggled briefly with the key before remembering that he'd sensibly left it unlocked. Who'd want to steal his dirty socks anyway?

Inside, he collapsed on the bed and then rolled over immediately when his right arm started throbbing. He wouldn't have thought it would hurt that much. It hadn't hurt that much while he was getting it, even though the girl doing it kept having to wipe away blood. Bodies were just weird, he decided. He closed his eyes, and was asleep two seconds later.

***

Thin light streamed through dusty curtains. Weak as it was, Gojyo could feel his eyeballs sizzling. Beer bad. No, beer good. It had probably been those tiny fucking pink drinks that Hiro had pressed on him right before they'd left the bar.

His arm hurt like a motherfucker. What the hell had he gotten, anyway? He rubbed crusty stuff out of his eyes and peered at it.

His brain stopped working bit by bit as he stared until a sudden dizziness reminded him that he needed to breathe. He closed his eyes. He _hadn't_ \-- It couldn't be real. It was India ink or something.

But India ink wouldn't hurt and wouldn't be slightly puffy and red around the edges, making the black stand out all the more clearly.

As he lay still, memories fluttered back. It _must_ have been those fucking pink drinks. Shit like this never seemed like a good idea when he'd just had beer, and damn, it had seemed like a good idea.

A night out with the guys, only two of whom he actually knew. Beer, pink drinks, no worrying about Hakkai's overly cheerful whistling grating on his hangover the next morning--he was sure Hakkai did that on purpose.

And then, _Tattoos!_ Hiro had said. _C'mon, it'll be awesome. Doesn't hurt much. I've got lots._

And he did, all over his chest; red dragons and leaping fish and flowering vines twining over his skin. Gojyo remembered thinking, though he hoped he hadn't actually said, that they didn't look nearly as good as Hakkai's.

But he'd gone along with it anyhow, and the five of them had trooped off to Ming Mei's Tattoo and Body Shop. (She did metal work on the side, and Hakkai had once considered taking Jeep there when he refused to get out second gear for a week. He'd shaped up quickly after that.) He hadn't planned to get anything himself, but somehow he'd ended up in the chair, and he never could resist a woman's smile. Ming Mei had a particularly sweet one, augmented by the multiple lip piercings and the large, vibrating needle she was holding. He'd found it impossible to say no.

He could have gone for any design in her books. A nice, simple barbed wire thing around his bicep, a skull and cross bones, a little heart that said Mom, for god's sake. Even that would be better than this.

_Like this?_ she'd asked as she traced the design out on paper first, and he'd had to correct her. No, the vine went like this, curled around the wrist, up the arm, circling behind the elbow and crawling towards his shoulder. He'd drawn the shape of the leaves for her with amazing accuracy, considering the pink alcohol and his total lack of artistic skill.

He pried his eyes open again and really looked instead of wincing away. It was done now. Permanent. It was Hakkai's vine snaking up his own arm, over his shoulder, up his neck, and vanishing into his hair.

Hakkai would be home in an hour or so.

Gojyo covered his face with his hands. He was so screwed.

***

Forty-five minutes later, without coffee but with a shirt buttoned all the way up, Gojyo was outside washing windows. Hakkai had been after him to do it for months, and it would keep him outside and away from Hakkai a little longer once he got home.

"Gojyo?"

Speaking of which... Hakkai's voice was disbelieving, and Gojyo could hear his footsteps quicken as he came closer.

"Hey, Hakkai." He waved over his shoulder. "How's it going?"

"Are you well?" Hakkai asked.

"Yeah, I'm good. You?"

Then Hakkai was right up behind him, hand on his shoulder pulling him around. Hakkai studied his face.

"You're not hurt?"

"Why would I be hurt?"

"You're cleaning. Did you hurt someone? Is there a body?" He frowned at the window, possibly searching for blood spatters.

"Hakkai! I didn't kill anyone! Jeez. You were only gone for two days."

"Yes, and now you're cleaning."

"I clean. Sometimes."

"When I tell you to."

"I'm a big boy. I can clean on my own. Maybe I didn't want the place to look like a trash pit when you got home. Didn't think of that, did you?"

"It's never bothered you before." Hakkai opened the door and stopped, looking inside. "Perhaps you should have started earlier if that was your goal."

"I'm new at this cleaning thing."

Okay, so this wasn't going exactly the way Gojyo had pictured it, but it seemed to be working. Hakkai was definitely distracted. Mainly by the pit the house had turned into while he'd been gone, but still. Distracted.

Hakkai didn't even take his bag inside before he whipped out the Pine-Sol. He probably figured it was better off on the porch.

The windows, unfortunately, were mostly done, so Gojyo took the mop and started in the main room, working towards the kitchen. He kept getting weird looks from Hakkai. Which, okay, he could sort of understand. His accepted role was to lie around half naked on the bed while Hakkai cleaned, and occasionally tell him he missed a spot. Sometimes Hakkai threw wet dishtowels at him. It was the way things went.

Still, Hakkai should be happy, not suspicious. And cleaning wasn't that bad. At least, it wasn't that bad when compared to being half-naked with his new tattoo on display.

Sooner or later, Hakkai was going to see it. They lived together. It was inevitable. Maybe he should move out. Maybe--

"Is that clean?"

Hakkai had a basket full of laundry and was eyeing his shirt.

"Yes, it's clean! Why would I be wearing it if it wasn't clean?"

One raised eyebrow was all Hakkai needed to reply to that.

"Perhaps you'd better let me wash it anyway. You'll just get it dirty cleaning and then I'll have to do it later."

Gojyo clutched his shirt, realized it looked like he was clutching his own chest, and stopped.

"It's fine. I'm fine. The shirt's fine. Uh. If it needs to be washed, I'll do it. Later."

Hakkai only gave him a thoughtful look and nodded, gliding away with his basket. Gojyo sagged against the nearest wall. He'd wash it later? Did he really expect Hakkai to buy that?

Hakkai was still watching him out of the corner of his eye as he picked up stray socks from the corners of the room. But what was he going to do? Rip the shirt right off him? Of course not. This was Hakkai.

Gojyo had a brief vision of the _other_ Hakkai, long ears and vines twisting everywhere over his skin and claws more than capable of shredding fabric. Gojyo shook his head hard and ignored the heat rising to his face. He was mopping the floor. He was not thinking about Hakkai ripping his clothes off.

And if he was, it wasn't like _that_.

He paid very close attention to the streaks of mud by the front door for a while. The house was heating up with the sun, and he could feel sweat gathering at the back of his neck. He'd pull his hair back if that bit of tattoo wasn't there. He could feel it, stinging a little from the salt and the heat. He needed a beer.

What he got was Hakkai offering him tea.

"It's iced," Hakkai said. "You don't want to get dehydrated."

He offered it to Gojyo, took a step closer, and tripped on nothing at all. The tea splashed all down Gojyo's front and onto his pants.

"Oh, I _am_ sorry," Hakkai said. He smiled. "I supposed you'd better take that off and let me wash it, after all."

"It's fine!" Gojyo said. "It's, uh, cooling. Yeah, cooling."

"Gojyo."

"Um. Yeah?"

"Give me the shirt."

There was nothing for it after that. He couldn't just say no. Well, he could, but... No, he really couldn't. And Hakkai would have to see it sooner or later.

He kept his eyes firmly fixed on the floor as he unbuttoned the shirt and slipped it off. He handed it over with his left hand in the hope that somehow Hakkai might not notice what was going on over on his right arm.

He could tell just from the quality of silence that it wasn't working. His stained shirt fluttered to the floor by his feet, and he bent his head still further, hair falling forward to shield his face. He seriously considered running, but Hakkai's hand locked around his wrist before he could move.

Light fingertips traced the curl of the vine around his arm, all the way up to his shoulder. Hakkai's hand slid into his hair and held it up away from his neck.

"What's this?" Hakkai asked quietly.

Gojyo swallowed. "Nothing. Just a stupid tattoo. Got drunk last night with the guys, and..." He trailed off. He didn't even have to see Hakkai's face to know he should shut up, right now.

Hakkai's nails scratched over his neck, and he shivered, despite the heat.

"You must have a remarkable memory," Hakkai said. "I believe it's an exact match."

"I believe I need to sit down," Gojyo muttered, and pushed past him. He collapsed into a chair and propped his elbows on the kitchen table, rubbing his hands over his face.

He could feel Hakkai standing behind him, even before one finger traced a path up his shoulder and neck. He shrugged it off, or tried.

"Quit it," he said. "It doesn't mean anything."

Hakkai's hand settled on the back of his neck, under his hair. It felt cool against his skin. Hakkai's lips brushed his ear as he bent close.

"It looks quite attractive on you," Hakkai murmured.

He glanced up at Hakkai, half-hoping he was teasing, but Hakkai's face was grave and serious.

Gojyo felt heat spread up his neck to his cheeks, and he shut his eyes tight. This was a moment for a stupid joke and a grin, and he couldn't manage either one. Honestly, could he have been more obvious? A little heart with Hakkai's initials in it would've been more open to interpretation.

"You haven't seen me like that often," Hakkai said. He paused. "Would you like to, now?"

Gojyo jerked his head up and stared. "You-- Are you serious?"

"I'm taking this quite seriously, Gojyo." Hakkai knelt easily in front of him, hands on his knees. "Take them off me. If that's what you want."

Gojyo hesitated, hand raised. Hakkai _did_ look like he was taking this seriously, in a way Gojyo had never expected from him, a way that brought heat to his cheeks all over again, and god, this was just like Hakkai. Never so much as a hint, and then _wham_ , he's on his knees offering--who knew what.

It didn't really matter what. With Hakkai, Gojyo had learned to take whatever he could get.

He reached out and tugged the limiters off Hakkai's ear, one by one. It was harder to do than he'd thought it would be. They were tight. He wondered if they hurt.

Maybe they did, because Hakkai sighed like it was a relief to get them off, and his head fell forward. His hair brushed Gojyo's knees as it lengthened. His hands flexed and slid up to Gojyo's thighs as his claws came out. Gojyo had never seen it happen like this before, not up close. They didn't so much grow as unsheathe, like a large cat.

The vines flowed out from under his sleeves, licking at his skin and curling around his fingers.

Gojyo saw him shiver. He'd always wondered if Hakkai could feel them moving. He touched the back of Hakkai's hand.

"Mine don't go down that far," he said.

Hakkai raised his head and looked at him. "Mm. Perhaps we can correct that later."

"Let me see..." Gojyo brushed a hand down the front of Hakkai's shirt.

Hakkai moved to unbutton it, but stopped as his claws caught in the fabric. "I may need help."

"No problem." Gojyo swallowed hard. "God. No problem at all." He stood and pulled Hakkai up with him, eyes bent on the buttons because he was afraid of what he would do if he let himself stop to think about this.

Each button revealed more skin, more vines, and he realized they weren't really black, but a dark, dark green. He leaned in and brushed his lips over one.

Hakkai's hand landed on his shoulder, and he was abruptly reminded that no matter what he thought was going on here, neither of them had actually said anything. It was stupid to assume anything when it came to Hakkai.

"Shit," he muttered. "Sorry. I won't--"

He felt Hakkai's hand curl around the back of his neck, soft and warm. "Please do," Hakkai said.

Oh, _god._ He rested his forehead on Hakkai's shoulder, lips just brushing his skin. He bent to press his cheek over Hakkai's heart, feeling the steady beat of his blood. His tongue flicked out to taste one nipple, teasing, catching the edge of a vine and following it down as the buttons parted under his fingers.

He reached the waistband of Hakkai's pants and hesitated. Hakkai caught one of his wrists, pulling his hand up.

"Keep going, please," Hakkai said. His lips brushed the palm of Gojyo's hand and then sucked the tip of a finger into mouth. His eyes were fixed on Gojyo's face.

Gojyo couldn't look away. He fumbled one-handed with Hakkai's pants, finally getting them open, kneeling down. He looked up at Hakkai, lips inches from his cock.

"Have you done this before?" Hakkai asked.

The question was soft, almost gentle, but there was a certain darkness in his eyes, and Gojyo was sure he was thinking of Banri, though he had no idea how Hakkai might have guessed.

Gojyo was tempted to lie, but he couldn't quite bring himself to, and anyhow his sense of self-preservation was too strong. He nodded, once.

Hakkai reached out and touched his mouth, just with the tip of one of his long, cool claws. He smiled. "I see."

Gojyo didn't realize he'd been holding his breath. He let it out slowly.

Hakkai's hands slid into Gojyo's hair as he leaned forward, holding it back, gathering it up loosely to bare his neck. It must have given him a good view when Gojyo licked him for the first time.

He pulled Hakkai's pants down, underwear with them, tugging until Hakkai stepped out of them entirely. He could see now how the vines curled round Hakkai's upper thigh and down around his calves to his ankles. A dark trail licked down over his groin, and the tail of it wrapped around the base of his cock.

Gojyo stroked the marks with one finger. The vine pattern there was tiny and delicate. Hakkai's hands in his hair tugged him forward then, and he leaned in to touch it with his tongue, washing along it in long, slow, wide licks.

He felt like he should be able to feel them on his tongue, taste them somehow, but they were perfectly flat and tasted only like Hakkai's skin, which was good enough for him. He could feel the tips of Hakkai's claws on his scalp, ten pricks of sensation cradling his head, pressing just the least bit harder as he closed his lips over the head and sucked. He imagined them as tattoo needles, marking him again, even more permanently.

The tiles were hard on his knees. The house was so quiet. All he could hear was the ticking of the clock and Hakkai's breath and the wet sounds as he licked and sucked and then let Hakkai push, gentle at first and then a little faster, a little harder, into his mouth.

Hakkai's taste flooded his mouth. His scent burned its way through Gojyo's nerves, straight to his brain, making everything else, the hard tiles, the heat, the slight ache in his jaw, not matter.

He clung to Hakkai's hips and tipped his head so Hakkai's cock hit the back of his throat on each thrust, swallowed around him, wanted to take him even further, all the way. Hakkai cupped the back of his head, stroking down to the base of his neck, where his claws scratched lightly over skin. Gojyo pressed forward and heard himself moan. Hakkai was impossibly hard against his tongue.

"Gojyo…" he whispered.

Maybe Hakkai really could read his mind, because his hands tightened on Gojyo's head and he pulled out of his mouth, leaving him gasping and wanting to follow as Hakkai drew away. He bent to press his lips to Gojyo's, slowly sinking to his knees until he was bearing Gojyo backwards to lie on the floor. The tiles were cool on his skin, almost shockingly so, but he hardly noticed as he lay there, looking up at Hakkai blankly and nearly panting with need.

"I want--"

"I know," Hakkai answered gently, like it was obvious, like of course he wanted to get fucked on his kitchen floor by his best friend.

Hakkai unbuttoned Gojyo's jeans, and then shifted back and tugged them off in one smooth motion. Gojyo was fleetingly thankful he hadn't bothered with underwear today, and it occurred to him that perhaps some buried part of him had known this might happen. If he'd known that, then he might have known other stuff too, like why he thought the tattoo was a good idea in the first place.

Mostly, right now, he knew that Hakkai was leaning down over him, edging forward so that Gojyo was going to have to part his thighs to let him get closer. He closed his eyes and shifted his legs and Hakkai lowered himself with a sound that was almost a groan, rubbing himself against Gojyo's stomach.

"You've done this before, too?" Hakkai murmured, watching him intently.

He shook his head, wondering if that was good or bad. It was close once or twice, but he'd never trusted anyone that far, sure as hell not Banri.

Hakkai smiled and bent to kiss him. Apparently, it was good. And then Hakkai rubbed gently over his opening with one finger, and yeah, definitely good. Christ.

His breath caught in his throat, and his heart sped up.

Hakkai reached up to the table and snagged a bottle cooking oil that had been sitting there innocently all damn day. Gojyo felt his eyes widen even though he'd known, wanted, what was coming.

"I'm afraid you'll have to do this yourself," Hakkai said. He held up one clawed hand in illustration. "I don't want to hurt you."

"Oh. Um. Right."

Hakkai placed the bottle aside, still smiling, and then let his fingers wander through Gojyo's hair. He kissed him again, long and slow.

"How much?" Gojyo asked, with a dry mouth.

Hakkai arched his back so that his hips rolled in a slow, hard thrust. He closed his eyes and tipped his head back so that Gojyo could see the long line of his throat. He was smiling, very slightly.

"Be very generous," Hakkai said, softly.

The oil was cool, but it warmed quickly. He put too much on, got it everywhere while Hakkai smiled down at him, not giving his fingers much room to work because he was still thrusting, slowly and almost lazily. Gojyo made an oily fist and let Hakkai slip inside it, feeling him as hard as steel. Hakkai bared his teeth and grunted then, surging forward.

God, if that was how Hakkai was going to move inside him... Gojyo swallowed hard and tightened his fist. He couldn't tell if the clenching in his stomach was want or fear. Maybe both. He slopped more oil over his free hand and pushed his finger inside himself, one finger, then two, deeper and harder, and it already felt like too much. He was breathless and hard, so hard.

Hakkai's claws trailed over his skin, touching him everywhere, making it impossible to think.

"I wonder how you would look," Hakkai murmured, and traced a deliberate, curving line over his chest.

"What?" Gojyo asked.

"With my mark all over you," Hakkai said, and dragged a nail over Gojyo's tattoo.

It hurt, but it was good, and right then, with his fingers inside himself and Hakkai's thick cock sliding hot against his palm, he thought he was going to embarrass himself. He gasped for more air and shut his eyes tight for a second. His cock jerked a thin stream of precome onto his belly. Hakkai moaned then and shifted back and down to lick it up, his tongue a hot stripe on Gojyo's skin.

Gojyo swore. "Now," he said. "Do me now."

Hakkai slid his hands down to Gojyo's hips and jerked him closer still, their bodies right up against each other. Hakkai's cock slipped along the crease of his hip and thigh before Hakkai took himself in hand and guided the head right _there._ Heated as Gojyo's body was, Hakkai's cock felt even hotter, thick, hard, and alive as it started to press inside him.

It hurt, but it hurt like Hakkai's claws on his skin, like that touch on his tattoo, almost too good.

"Look at me," Hakkai said.

There was a slight draft blowing under the door, and it was cool on his overheated skin. He stared up into Hakkai's eyes as Hakkai pushed in, and he thought his own expression must match Hakkai's: a fleeting, wide-eyed, disbelieving look that was replaced by hot, fierce lust and _want_ , until Hakkai bent his head, sinking in deeper. His arms were trembling.

They stayed still for an endless time. Gojyo could feel the pulse inside him, his or Hakkai's, or both, and the little involuntary movements Hakkai was making with his hips, until Hakkai groaned as if in pain. He pulled out and then thrust in, sliding in deep, grinding forward until his hips were tight to Gojyo's ass.

Just once was enough to make Gojyo want more, want it bad, and he wrapped his legs around Hakkai to pull him closer, canted his hips to take him deeper. All the way. It did seem obvious now. Of course this was what he wanted. His body moved with and against Hakkai's easily, and his hands came up to spread over Hakkai's back, feeling how his muscles shifted, breathing against his neck, holding on. Hakkai leaned down, stretching to touch his mouth with soft lips.

"Your hair is dusty, Gojyo," he said, breathless. "If only you'd swept the floor while I was away."

"Wha--" But Hakkai thrust into him again, and the last consonant was lost in a moan.

"Never mind," Hakkai said, breath on his face, cheek brushing his. He touched Gojyo's tattoo again, from shoulder to wrist, holding there and moving with Gojyo as he blindly reached for his own cock and began to jerk himself off.

"Are you close?" he asked softly. "I am. You're so tight. But I can hold off if you need me to. How long do you want me to keep fucking you, Gojyo? I think I could do it all day."

"Ahhh," Gojyo managed.

Hakkai. Inside him. Thick and hot and rubbing, his hips moving faster now, slapping his ass hard as Gojyo tried to keep his hand moving in time. But he was jerking it everywhere and Hakkai was gasping now, raised up over him and gazing down slit-eyed and hungry as if he'd never seen anything like Gojyo before. He blinked up, met those hot eyes and his entire body tensed. He shivered as his orgasm rushed through him, finally cresting as his hand moved faster and faster.

"Oh, Gojyo," Hakkai murmured in his ear, and then his soft murmur faded into a throaty growl as Gojyo bucked up helplessly and clenched around his cock.

Gojyo arched up blindly until he found Hakkai's mouth and as Hakkai's tongue slid in, Hakkai began to fuck him fast and rough.

Gojyo's fingers dug into Hakkai's skin, and he could feel the seam of the tiles on his back and the cool air he sucked down his throat almost as clearly as Hakkai's cock inside him. He shuddered when Hakkai began to come, hot and wet. It was almost too much, all of this together, his body and every sense filled to the limit.

Hakkai's mouth slid down to Gojyo's neck as he shook and gradually stilled. Gojyo's eyes traced the water stains across the ceiling. His hands slipped on Hakkai's back, slick with sweat, and his arms flopped down to the floor. He had zero desire to move, ever.

"Jesus fucking Christ," he muttered, mostly into Hakkai's hair.

Hakkai raised his head and smiled at him. "That's what Kanan said after our first time. It was unlike her to swear."

Gojyo just blinked at him, waiting for his higher brain functions to kick back in.

Hakkai's smile dimmed a little. "Ah, I'm sorry. That was perhaps not the right thing to say." He paused. "You have told me in the past to try to remember the good times."

Somehow, Gojyo lifted one arm again and slung it over Hakkai's back. Silent laughter shook his chest. Only Hakkai. In the history of the world, only Hakkai could ever come up with a post-sex line like that.

"It's okay," he told Hakkai, once he was sure he could speak without any inappropriate giggling. His fingers counted the ridges of Hakkai's spine. "You're right. Nothing wrong with remembering the good stuff."

It was okay, surprisingly. It felt like it should hurt, but it didn't. It was also the first time in years he could remember Hakkai actually saying her name out loud. That probably meant something, though he wasn't sure what. Maybe even something good.

Hakkai stretched long, muscles shifting under Gojyo's hand, and sat up. He combed his fingers back through his wild hair. His eyes followed the path of Gojyo's tattoo once again.

"We'll need to clean this," he said, one claw hovering just above it. "I shouldn't have touched it. My hands are dirty."

"You hands are just _fine_ ," Gojyo said, maybe too fiercely, thinking of blood.

Hakkai's eyes creased in amusement. "I meant from the cleaning fluid. I doubt ammonia is the best thing for it while it's healing."

"Oh. Yeah." Dork, he told himself. "So."

"So?"

Despite the ammonia, Hakkai's fingers were skating close to the tattoo again, like he couldn't leave it alone.

"Did you mean it," Gojyo asked. "About--you know. Getting the rest of them done?"

Hakkai's eyes raked down his chest, intense enough that it made Gojyo want to squirm.

"Would you want that?" Hakkai asked, still looking at his skin rather than meeting his eyes.

Gojyo barely needed to think about it. "I-- I wouldn't mind."

"Well. We'll see, then." Hakkai sat up straighter and smiled at him. "There's plenty of time now, isn't there?"

Gojyo smiled back. "Yeah."

"I'm very glad this happened." Hakkai stood, pulling Gojyo up with him until they stood, both naked.

"Well, that's good," Gojyo said, slowly.

"I was beginning to think the only chance I'd have would be with your corpse," he said lightly.

He kissed Gojyo's cheek, a soft, warm touch, and then walked off towards the bathroom with a bounce in his step. Gojyo stared after him for a second. He wasn't entirely sure that had been joke.

_And this is the guy I--_

Yeah. Only Hakkai.

He brushed his fingers lightly up his own arm. The tattoo felt more like part of him now, less like an open wound. The redness around the edges was starting to fade already. He looked down at the oily hand prints on the tiles and their scattered clothes.

He bent over to scoop up the limiters and followed Hakkai into the bathroom.

The shower was running. Hakkai stood, naked, in front of the sink. He was looking in the mirror, which was already faintly clouded with steam.

Gojyo uncurled his hand. The limiters sat on his palm, dull and grey. "You want these back now?" he asked.

"In a moment." Hakkai turned from the mirror and stepped close to him, hand on his wrist.

Gojyo stood stock still as the vine on Hakkai's hand wormed its way onto his skin. It didn't feel much different from getting the tattoo; whatever it was using to get traction on his skin was sharp and prickly. Gojyo's teeth bit in to the soft skin of his lip, and his eyes felt about twice their normal size, and he couldn't look away.

Hakkai's free hand settled on his stomach, and three more green-black vines crawled across his skin, half-painful, half-ticklish. When they stopped moving, the pattern they formed was a mirror image of the one on Hakkai's skin. He hesitated, almost expecting Hakkai to stop him, then traced a fingertip over one of them, following it as it curled across his skin.

It was as flat as it had felt on Hakkai's skin, but it felt very faintly warm, almost humming, somehow alive. He let his hand fall away and tried to come up with something to say. Failed.

"They won't last," Hakkai said softly. "Once I put the limiters back on... They'll fade when mine do."

He reached to take the limiters, and Gojyo jerked his hand back.

"Leave 'em," he said. "I mean. If you don't mind. Just for a while."

Hakkai nodded, not quite smiling, and pulled him into the shower, and damn that felt good. Hakkai's hands, slick with soap, moved over his back and chest and down his arm. Gojyo closed his eyes, leaned into the touch, wondering how this could feel so totally normal.

Well, not so much the ache in his ass and the little stabby pains on the left side of his back from getting fucked through the kitchen floor. But this, the standing naked in the shower with Hakkai, this somehow felt normal. Better than normal.

He looked down at Hakkai's hands spread out across his stomach and rib cage. They seemed larger than usual, even without the claws. He glanced over his shoulder. Hakkai was looking at him.

"What?" Gojyo asked.

"You really don't mind, do you?" Hakkai looked almost confused, brows drawn together slightly.

"Mind what?"

"Me, like this. And--just now, on the floor."

"Bed next time, seriously. And no, I don't--" He stopped. It would be easy to say he didn't _mind_ , and of course he didn't, but it was more than just not minding. "I like it," he said. And if his eyes wouldn't quite meet Hakkai's, that was totally not his fault. He wasn't used to shit like this. "I like you."

Hakkai said nothing in reply, but drew him closer, chin on his shoulder. Water dripped down like warm rain, and beyond the water and the soap and the ache and Hakkai's hands on him, he could feel the heat of the vines on his skin, and the subtly different heat of the one that wouldn't fade.


End file.
